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Blocking of same-sex benefits goes further than planned

"A group of conservative Christians set out to block El Paso, Texas,
from granting health-care benefits to same-sex partners of
city-government employees. But the ballot measure they helped pass in
November may also end up stripping benefits from many others, including
retired policemen and firefighters.

"The measure was aimed at gay workers and their partners. The wording
of the proposal, however, was vague, asking El Pasoans to endorse 'traditional family values' by limiting benefits to city employees and
their legal spouses and dependents.

"So when 55% of the voters approved the measure on Election Day, they
eliminated coverage for some 200 people who don't fit that
description—among them elected officials and some retirees, the city
says.

"Now, officials are weighing what to do. Last month, the city council
decided not to use its authority to repeal what is now a city law. On
Tuesday, it agreed to allow the city attorney to come up with ways to
amend the ordinance, which goes into effect Jan. 1. But some members
warned that they would vote against any proposal that restores benefits
for retirees and not for domestic partners.

"The city's gay community, which usually keeps a low profile, is out
protesting. Last week, activists showed up at the Word of Life Church,
whose pastor organized the ballot measure, with posters reading 'Jesus
wouldn't take away health benefits' and 'Love thy neighbor gay or
straight.'

... "Meanwhile, past and current employees are clamoring to reinstate the
health benefits, and union leaders are preparing a lawsuit against the
city. Counting those workers who would lose benefits when they retire,
the number of affected people grows to at least 6,000, said Ron Martin,
president of the local police union.

"'We don't want to get into a holy war with the church,' he said. 'I just wish they would have left us alone.'

"Many companies and governments have been granting domestic-partner
benefits for years: 59% of Fortune 500 companies now offer them, as do
scores of cities, according to the Human Rights Campaign, a
Washington-based group that advocates for the rights of gay people.
Still, in many places across the country, the practice remains
controversial.

"The city council in Green Bay, Wis., debated the issue after a
worker asked to sign up his partner for health care, but could not
agree on what to do. In Colorado Springs, Colo., benefits for
city-employee partners were withdrawn in 2003, less than a year after
they were first offered, and activists trying to revive them have so
far been unsuccessful.

"In El Paso, officials voted last year to extend benefits to domestic
partners, both straight and gay; 19 people signed up, adding about
$30,000 to the city's $34 million health-care budget.

"The group that drew up the proposal to overturn the program could
not find a lawyer to advise it and so came up with the wording on its
own...

"The measure's language started raising questions from city employees
and retirees before the election, and the city sent them a memo trying
to explain who could be affected. But officials did not address the
effects of the ballot measure with the broader public, they said,
because that could have been construed as electioneering.

"Some retirees are still confused, and worried they might be left
without benefits on Jan. 1. 'Everybody is in limbo,' said George
Ingram, who worked at El Paso's airport before retiring 31 years ago.

..."But gay activists say the city is responsible for fighting against
discrimination. 'If you leave it up to the vote, black people would
still be riding in the back of buses,' said Bill Ellis, secretary for
Rio Grande Adelante Inc., a local non-profit group.

"As they ponder the opposing arguments, some city council members are
also trying to weigh voters' intentions. Were they opposed to benefits
for same-sex couples, against perks for ex-employees, or simply
confused?

"'We have no way of knowing what they may or may not have wanted,' said Beto O'Rourke, a city council member."